Sheep commission considered

Sheep growers are the latest producer group to pitch the idea of a commission under the oversight of the BC Farm Industry Review Board.

During the BC Sheep Federation’s annual conference in Vernon on October 4-5, members discussed the idea of establishing a commission as one of several options to encourage a viable future for the sector.

“We need a more organized, stable and funded organization,” says Mark Ishoy, president of Okanagan Shuswap Sheep Producers’ Association, which hosted the event. “We need to get recognized more by the government … as to what we do as an industry.”

While the process of establishing a commission will take time, the option has helped growers in other provinces secure the funds to promote the industry and its producers.

Greenhouse vegetable growers in BC are also exploring the idea of a marketing commission, and apple growers recently rejected the idea of a marketing commission to stabilize their sector.

The 50 participants at the BCSF meeting overwhelmingly supported researching options for a structure to replace the existing federation, which was established in the 1990s to encourage participation from all sheep producers in the province.

However, the organization lacks funds and member involvement in operations.

Some feel the organization is not reaching producers who would benefit from membership, says BCSF president and acting chair Jacques Campbell.

She believes the structure of the organization needs to be “more inclusive of the membership, and for the membership to do a bit of the steering for the board.”

“A fear is, as some of us age out, there will be no upcoming replacements,” she says. “We are hoping to become more relevant to the membership.”

BCSF membership has been stable at about 100 members over the past 10 years.

Without new members, the industry could be left without an organization representing its long-term interests.